Unsure
by The Sarcastic Polar Bear
Summary: Natara Williams needs to be sure that she's doing the right thing. Spoilers for the On Demand.


**Okay, guys, this is my take on the On Demand episode, but the ending is my own creation. SPOILER ALERT.**

When Oscar Santos proposed to Natara Williams, a sea of emotions washed over her. She had certainly not expected it, and she wasn't sure of what to say. She could say yes and risk spending the rest of her life with the wrong person, or she could say no and let their relationship fall apart.

****

Mal was the first person she turned to for help. Her frustration grew as she kept reaching his voicemail. **"**_You've reached Mal Fallon. Leave a message. Unless you're Kai. Kai, we talked about this."_

****

When he picked up, she heard Blaise's voice in the background. **"**_Time to get you out of that shirt. What? Blood stains are a pain in the ass to get out. Maybe we should get you out of those pants, too."_**  
**

****Suddenly everything began to put itself together. Mal and Blaise... Natara closed her eyes and shuddered, a dark feeling beginning to settle with the other emotions running throughout her.

****

_Mal, come home... I need to talk to you, _she thought silently. She didn't want to make the biggest mistake of her life. She had to talk to him first. He would tell her what she had to do.

****

As she walked into the bar that night, she felt slightly refreshed. Maybe she had misunderstood things. Mal and Blaise couldn't be together... could they? But when she saw the two of them at the bar, sitting so closely, she stopped. They were both smiling.**  
**

****_There's nothing strange about that..._she tried to assure herself. But then Mal kissed Blaise on the cheek. Unable to watch any longer, Natara turned on her heel and left the bar, making her way to a familiar apartment.

****

She knocked on Oscar's door, feeling distant and empty. She felt as if somebody had dumped a bucket of ice down her spine. When he answered the door, she greeted him with one simple word.****

"_Yes."_

****

The next morning, she sat at her desk, the engagement ring sparkling on her left ring finger. She smiled as she touched the tiny diamond. Perhaps this was the right choice. **  
**

****She looked up slightly as Mal entered the precinct. When he saw Natara, he quickly hurried towards her. "Nat, you never showed up last night," he said, concern evident in his piercing sapphire eyes. "What's going on?" Then his gaze traveled down, and he saw the ring.

****

In that moment, he felt himself crumble. The calls he had missed... why she never showed up... the ring... Mal felt sick to his stomach. He was too late. Swallowing hard, he spoke up. "I guess that lucky DA of yours popped the question?"**  
**

**"**Yep," she said simply.

****

"Is that why...?" Mal trailed off. His heart pounded so loudly in his chest that he feared Natara could hear it. "And you said..." Another stab of pain shot through his heart. He nearly shuddered. "I'll be back." Turning quickly, he left the building, the world fading to gray.

****

Outside, he collapsed against the wall. "No," he whispered angrily. "I should have made my move sooner." _Mal Fallon, I think it's safe to say that you're the biggest idiot in this building right now. Even Kai has more sense. Well, maybe not, _he mentally reprimanded himself.**  
**

****He didn't even realize what he was doing as he punched the brick wall so hard that his knuckles bled. He couldn't even think straight. The only thing on his mind was Natara. He had lost her. He could never hold her close and call her his.**  
**

****_He was too late._**  
**

**"**You really ought to watch where you punch," a voice spoke. Mal looked up to see Blaise standing nearby.

****

"Natara... Oscar... he proposed to her. She said yes." His words came out in a rush, and he found it hard to breathe. "What you said was right. I am a coward. I should have told her. I had my chance but you were right. I completely blew it with her. If I had just picked up the phone... maybe I could have stopped this."

****

Blaise touched his shoulder. "I'm not gonna argue with you. You should have moved sooner. But it's not like you could have known that pretty lawyer was gonna propose out of the blue."

****

"I knew they were back together. I just want her to be happy. I've seen Oscar hurt her before. I know how easily marriages can fall apart, and I don't want to see that happen to her." He let out a long sigh. "I should have done something when they first broke up."

****  
"Look... I'm not some fancy profiler like Natara, but I can tell by the way she looks at you that she wants to be more than what you are now." It hurt to say. Blaise had always wanted to be more than partners and friends with Mal, but he loved Natara and he deserved to be with someone he loved.

****

Mal was oblivious to Natara standing around the corner, her heart fluttering as she listened to the conversation. She looked down at her ring, which suddenly seemed dull. For the second time, Natara Williams had no idea what to do.

****

She took a deep breath before she climbed into her car and drove to Oscar's apartment, tears filling her eyes. She lightly knocked on his door, wondering if she was doing the right thing. **  
**

****Oscar opened the door. "Natara...? I was just getting ready for work. Are you alright?"**  
**

****Natara twisted her ring in silence. "Oscar, I don't know about this," she said softly, her voice faltering.

****

"What are you doing?" he asked, furrowing his brow. Natara shuddered before slipping the ring off of her finger. She gently dropped it into his palm, sunlight reflecting off of the silver band.

****

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I can't." Her legs trembled as she walked away, a single tear streaming down her cheek. When she finally returned to the SFPD precinct, Mal stood near the coffee machine, a crestfallen expression on his face.

****

He glanced over at her as she stood beside him, her arm nearly touching his. "Hey," he said quietly. He glanced down and frowned at the lack of a ring on her left hand. "Nat?"**  
**

****Natara turned around so that she faced him, soft hazel eyes meeting deep blue. "I don't want to spend my life doing the wrong thing," she murmured, resting her hand on his shoulder. Their chests touched, their lips so close. **  
**

****Mal slipped one arm around her waist, leaning slightly closer. "I want you to be happy, Nat."**  
**

**"**I know. I thought things with Oscar were going to be alright. But I don't think he's the person I want to spend the rest of my life with." Standing on her toes, Natara kissed him, their lips crashing together.

****

They stood that way for several long moments in time, neither of them wanting to break apart. Finally they pulled away from each other, her hands still on his shoulder, his strong arms around her slender waist.

****

Fortunately, neither of them noticed Kai as he peered around the corner with his camera.


End file.
